Golf club



S. E. WATSON Feb. 6, 1934.

GOLF CLUB Filed Oct. 27. 1931 Patented Feb. 6, 1 934 PATENT OFFICE UNITED STATES 8 Claims.

This invention relates to golf clubs and more particularly to means for attaching the head onto the shaft of a golf club.

An object of this invention is to provide means by which a flexible or resilient shaft of metal construction may be firmly and resiliently attached to the head of a golf club so as to retain the resiliency of the shaftand a portion of the head.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a device of this kind means by which the shaft may be secured to the head of the golf club without the use of rivets or the like.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a device of this kind means by which the impact of the club and the ball will not have a tendency to loosen the head on the shaft.

A still further object of this invention is to provide in a device of this kind means by which the head may be cushioned on the shaft in such a manner that the cushioning means may be readily removed for replacement or the like by the purchaser of the club.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a device of this kind, means by which shock or the vibration resulting from a blow is absorbed or dampened.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a device of this kind, a head capable of twisting or turning relative to the shaft to a degree comparable to a shaft of hickory so as to thereby cushion the shock'incident to the impact of the ball with the club head.

The above and various other objects and advantages of this invention will in part be described in, and in part be understood from the following detail description of the present preferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:-

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevation of a golf club having the head and shaft secured together according to the preferred embodiment of this invention; I

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section partly in detail of the device; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view partly in detail of a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 10 designates generally a tubular shaft which is relatively flexible and is provided with a head portion, generally designated as 11.

In order to provide means by which the head 11 may be cushioned on the shaft 10, I have provided a shank portion 12, which is formed with the head 11, which shank portion 12 is reduced as at 13 so as to provide a shoulder 14', the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. This reduced portion 13 is threaded, as at 15, and an elongated ferrule or securing member, generally designated as 16, is provided adjacent the lower end thereof with internal threads for engagement with the external threads 15 of the reduced portion 13.

This ferrule 16 has a bore 17 therethrough and a tubular cushioning member 18 is positioned within this bore 17 and interposedbetween the inner surface of the ferrule 16 and the periphery of the shaft 10. Preferably, the shank 12 is'provided with an elongated extension or shaft 19 Q, which extends upwardly within the interior of the hollow shaft 10 and a second cushioning member 20 is interposed between the periphery of this shaft 19 and the shaft 10. v

The elongated shaft 10is provided at the lower end thereof with a collar or flange 21, which engages a flange or resilient collar 22 formed on the inner end of the inner cushioning member 20. The outer cushioning member 18 is also provided at the lower'end thereof with a flange 3 or collar 23, which engages against the upper face of the shaft flange 21 and is interposed between this flange and a shoulder 24, formed on the interior of the ferrule 16. v I Preferably the threads 15 on the extension 13 are provided with a pitch, such that when the head 11 strikes the golf ball the torsion on the extension 12 will tighten'the ferrule'16 on the threads 15. In other words these threads will be left hand threads for a club used by right hand players and will be right hand threads for clubs used by left hand players. 1

The ferrule or securing member 16 is preferably of tapering construction, the taper being in'an upward and inward direction so that the 1 upper end of this ferrule or securing member 16 will be relatively small.

As shown in Figure 3, the shank 12' may be provided with a reduced portion 13' which is not provided with threads and the securing member 16' provided with a smooth bore 25 for engagement with the smooth periphery 26 of the extension 13'. This securing member 16 may be held on the shank 12 by a press fit so that the ferrule or securing member 16' will be frictionally held on the shank 12.

In the use of this device the shaft 10 may be slipped over the cushioning member 20, which is disposed about the inner shaft 19, formed with the shank 12, and the outer cushioning up member 18 placed in a position where the flange 23 will engage the flange 21 of the shaft 10. The securing member 16 may then be tightened on the reduced shank 13, which movement will tighten the shaft 10 on the shaft or extension 19 and the shank 12. 7

It will be obvious from the foregoing that the shaft 10 will be cushioned on the shank 12 and that the impact of the head 11 with the ball will not onlybe borne by the head and shaft but also by the inner cushioning member 20 and the outer cushioning member 18.

If the golf club has been in use for a considerable period of time and the cushioning members l8 and 20 have hardened to a slight degree, or lose their resiliency or elasticity, the head '11 may be readily removed from the shaft 10 by removing the ferrule 16 and insertingnew cushioning members in the place of the old cushioning members.

It will .also be obvious from'the foregoing that either the head 11 or shaft 10 may be replaced by :thepurchaser or user of the golf club and that this construction may be readily adapted for practically all of the various'types and shapes of golf clubs at present in use.

While I haveshown the packing rings or flanges 22 and. 23 .as being formed integrally, one with each cushioning member, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, as if desired these .flanges or gaskets may be pro- ,vided separately .from the elongated or tubular cushioning members.

It is, of course, understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by :the scope of the followi-ng'claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. Agolf club of the character described compr ng a head having a shank, an elongated shaft having an outstanding flange on the lower end thereof, a tubular securingmemberhaving a shoulder on the interior-thereof engaging the flange, said securing member telescoping the abutting ends of the shank and the shaft, and cushion means (between the shoulder and the flange and between the flange and the shank.

.2. A golf club .of the character described comprising a head, an elongated shank formed with the head, a shaft, an annular flange formed on the lower end of the shaft, .a tubular securing member telescoping the abutting ends of the shaft and the shank and a cushioning member interposed between the securing member and the shaft.

'3. A golf club of the character described comprising a head, an upwardly extending shank formed with the head,-a reduced member formed with the shank and extending upwardly therefrom, a tubular shaft telescoping said reduced member, a securing ferrule engaging the shaft and the shank for holding the shaft against movement on the shank, and means engaging the innerandouter surfaces of the shaft to cushion the shaft on the shank.

bers permitting partial rotary movement of the flange, a cushioning member interposed between the ferrule and the shaft, said cushioning memshaft relative tothe shank that portion of the securing ferrule engaging the shank being fixed relative to the shank.

5. Agolf club of the'character described comprising a head, a shank formed with the head and extending upwardly therefrom, a reduced portion formed with the shank and providing a shoulder between the shank and said reduced portion, an elongated reduced member :formed with said reduced portion and providing a second shoulder between said reduced portion and said reduced member, a tubular shaft telescoping, said reduced member, anannular flange formed with the lower end of said shaft and engaging against said second shoulder, a securing member having a bore therethrough to receive the shaft, said securing member having an enlarged bore at the lower end thereof providing a shoulder engaging against said second shoulder whereby to hold said shaft against movement on said reduced member.

6. A golf club comprising a shaft, an annular outstanding flange on the .lower end of the shaft, a head having a portion thereof abutting an end of said shaft, a cushioning member interposed 118 between the abutting end of said shaft and head, and means engaging the flange and head and disposed about the shaft for securing said shaft to said head whereby to permit relative circumferential movement of said head with respect to 120 said shaft. 7

7. A golf club comprising a shaft, an annular outstanding flange on the lower end of the shaft, a head having a portion telescoping an end of said shaft, a tubular securing member engaging the flange and head anddisposed about the-shaft, and yieldable means interposed between the-shaft and said telescoping portion of the head and between said shaft and said securing member whereby to yieldably resist movementof the head 130 on said shaft.

8. A golf club of the character described comprising a head, a shank formed with the head, an elongated reduced shank formed with said first shank, a tubular shaft telescoping said reduced shank, a cushioningmember interposed between said reduced shank and said shaft, a securing member having a bore therethrough telescoping said shaft and said first shank and coacting means carried by the securing member and said tubular shaft for securing said tubular shaft on said first shank and permitting movement of said shaft relative to the first shank.

SAMUEL E. WATSON. 

